Clover: Cold as ice, sharp as needles
by RoisinEden
Summary: AU. School's boring, right? Well, not anymore. Having crazy friends like Gilbert, Francis and Antonio, school has become a pleasure. Vlad's only problem's his neighbour, a stoic Bulgarian guy, who ruins his fun any time he can. They hate each other, until one day when one of them discovers something more terrifying: Love. Or is it just lust? Stay close and find out! YAOI
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

School is boring. Ok, that's not something you never heard or never said at least once in your life. Everyone says it and thinks about it. That's why I am not that enthusiastic about going to school today. A new school on top of it, in a new town and in a whole new country. Though, isn't it?

Oh, it seems that I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Vladimir Lupei, I am 16 years old and I am Romanian. I am not tall, but not small either, you could say I am the average teen boy. My hair is strawberry blonde in the summer and almost brown in the winter. Red sea surrounds my pupils, and most of my ex-classmates thought that was strange. My skin is pale, maybe too pale for someone who's supposed to be alive, but that's how it is. I look slim, but actually have some muscles, not too noticeable at first sight, but they exist. One thing I can say and that is that I move around a lot, so I never get to have friends.

That day was rainy, cold and some would say gloomy, but it didn't bother me. I kind of liked 'gloomy' weather, because sun was shining way too bright, especially in my homeland. But here, in England, there was a whole different story, temperatures were cooler here than in Romania or so I heard. I wasn't fully sure of it, since I had moved only a month ago.

It was September 1st. The first day of school. The day when the nightmares unleash themselves from their dark closets. The beginning and also the end. I never liked school. And I knew I wasn't the only one who thought like that. But why? What makes school to be so boring, so hated. I've changed schools so many times I can't even count them.

At first I thought it was because of the whole idea of studying and for some, it sure was this way. But not for me. I liked studying, without being a nerd, not that the others believed me anyway. Maybe it was because of the teachers, but that would be dumb, right? There are nice teachers, but still I never felt like going to my classes. There was one thing left. It was the classmates. Or at least that was my reason. I moved around a lot and never had friends. Also, I have never found anyone worth trying to befriend. To me, they looked the same. They played the same games, watched the same movies, listened to the same musicians. They dressed alike and their hair was alike. They had no personality, no hobbies (excluding TV with the 5 o'clock news, going out, eating seeds like there was no tomorrow) and they didn't tolerate anyone who was different. So I was bullied. Or ignored. But never understood. In their eyes, I was an alien, a freak. I like rock, while they didn't, they listened only "_manele"*_, a genre of music so pathetic it makes my ears bleed. You wouldn't want to listen to it either, _amice**! _But I'll tell you about my past later, because now I have bigger problems.

Clover. An amazing city in an amazing country. At least that's how it seems. It's clean, big and has a lot of interesting buildings. Gorgeous architecture, at least that's what I think. And despite of it being quite big, it has a lot of green space. Actually, St. Andrew, the high-school I will be attending from now on, is on top of a hill and you could reach it by car, but I heard that most of the students prefer to take a walk. No matter what, I will do it because I am a nature-lover or something among the lines.

The road to school is nice so far. I stretch my hand, as if to catch the rain drops that are falling lazily from the sky. The tall trees attenuates the rain and I don't feel like I should keep the umbrella opened, so I close it. The air was fresh and I couldn't feel better...or I would have.

I know I was going to get to my destination soon and I start to feel a bit uneasy. What if they won't like me? What if I get bullied again? I hate this. This fear. I am no coward, no pansy. I inhale deeply and take another step, a firm one just to prove myself I can do it. I can start brand new and maybe I won't get friends, but I will not be hated. I have to do it. To prove myself I am not worthless.

And while I was busy with my thoughts I haven't realised I arrived school. The campus is large, filled with groups of students. They wore no uniform, and I heard the principal didn't want to introduce something like that, because it would ruin one's chance to discover oneself. I don't know about that. I never minded uniform, although sometimes I found it useless because no one actually played by the rules, and those who did, well those were "_tocilari" _or nerds, in English.

Today I wore a white blouse and black trousers. I had dragged along a trench coat with me in case I would be cold and now it is hanging on my shoulders casually. The plan was simply. I had to look cool, but not as in stand-out, a little elegant and casual. Very casual so that I could be taken as friendly. Also, I have to act like this. Careless, bright, funny and why not...sarcastic! I exercised a lot this summer, making scenarios in my head, or in frond of a mirror.

As far as I know, my classroom should be at the ground floor. I don't quite know how English have their studies. Especially on the first day of a year. In Romania you never had classes on the first day. You meet with your classmates, chat about the summer holiday, then meet the teachers who handed you the books and the timetable. Then you were off to wherever you felt like going. It can be too different, can't it?

I was spacing out, too worried about school and I ended up dumping into someone, tucking that person to the ground. _La naiba!*** _I looked up, trying to keep my carefree face, but also I knew I looked a bit sorry, or at least I hoped so. The victim, or so to say, was a male but I wasn't sure of it. He had shoulder-length blonde hair, violet eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. He looked a bit scared and uneasy. I stood up quickly and reached my hand so he could grab it, smiling at the same time. His eyes looked unsure up to me for a while then he grabbed my hand.

"I am really, really sorry!" I said as I got him up. He looked around scared. "Look, I didn't mean it..." I started to feel bad, almost like a bully. That's when he actually turned to look at me. He was more surprised than scared now.

"Y-you can see me?" he asked in English but his accent was definitely not English. I threw him a confused gaze.

"Excuse me?" I rose an eyebrow at him. "Am I not supposed to see you? Are you a g-ghost?" I asked mentally slapping myself for stuttering.

"Hah? N-no. It's just..." but he didn't have the time to finish his sentence, because he was interrupted by someone.

"Hiya there, dude!" the other teen said. He had dusty blonde hair with an ahoge sticking up and baby-blue eyes. He was wearing glasses as well, but he was tall, muscular and wore a bomber jacket. Beneath, he had T-shirt or so I thought with the American flag. He had navy blue jeans and a pair of sneakers. "So, what's up?" he asked smiling brightly at me. I stared back at him and smiled as well, and when I was ready to answer him he started laughing. But he wasn't laughing at me and I turned my head to look what was behind me. "Oh, gotta go, dude. Talk to ya later!" and he left me.

"Who was that?" I asked my "victim". He smiled softly, almost sad.

"Alfred F. Jones. Don't worry, he's always been like that," he said scratching his head with his index. "I am Matthew Williams," he introduced himself shyly and he reached his hand over to me.

"I am Vladimir Lupei. Nice to meet you!" I said back and took his hand, shaking it. "And I'm really sorry about earlier," I said smiling like an idiot.

"I'm used to it. They never see me anyway..." his words trailed off, a bit bitter but his smile never left his features.

"So that's why you asked me if I could see you!" it was more like talking to myself but he nodded. "That's just mean!" I said feeling anger building up in me.

"Not really. It's my fault too. Look, it's a long story and we don't have too much time. By the way...what class do you have now?" he asked as he started walking.

"History. You?" I caught up with him taking big playful steps. He turned to look at me.

"The same," and we left together.

The classroom was spacious, had three rows of desks. I liked to seat by the window, and fortunately there was a desk left. I sat down, Matthew on the other row, first desk, the one in the middle. I waved at him from the third seat and he smiled back shyly.

"Is this seat free?" weird accent. My eyes fell on the guy who asked me. He had dark hair and fair skin, green eyes.

"Yup," I said nodding and he sat near me. "I'm Vladimir Lupei!"

"Hmm..?" He turned to face me. "Ah. Aleksander Balakov," No shaking hands, no smile, but a bored look.

"Are you Russian?" I asked out of curiosity, thing which I could never hold back.

"No. Bulgarian," he said not even bothering to look at me.

"Hah! That's cool. I've visited Bulgaria once. It was nice," I said looking at the whiteboard almost daydreaming. "I'm from Romania," I continued.

"I know," he said still not looking at me. That's when I felt like giving up and moving to another desk but that's when the bell rang and the teacher entered quickly after, closing the door.

"Good afternoon, students!" he greeted us and we did greet him in return. He had brown hair and brown eyes and he wore a suit. "My name is Romulus Vargas, for those who don't know and I'll be your history teacher this year," he said.

After that he told us what books we needed and then he started to talk about different eras. I was tapping my desk with a pen thinking about how life must have been a long time ago. I liked story. No, scratch that. I love history and Mr. Vargas seemed fond of it as well, for he was speaking as if he were there and lived for a long time.

The hour passed too quickly. Or so I thought. As soon as the bell rang we gathered our stuff and left the room. I knew I had Art, another thing I loved.

The hallway was large as well, but it was cold and dark, having big windows but that didn't help at all. At least on in that block, because sun never seemed to shine over there. I saw students go and students leave and somehow I felt left out. Did I really belong in there? No. I was a stranger.

"You look lost, mon ami!" someone spoke next to me. I turned to look at the person and our eyes met. "Are you a stranger, perhaps?" he asked cocking his blonde eyebrow at me.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"No worry, zhen. I'll show you around," he told me. I wasn't a linguist but I could bet on anything he was French.

"Are you from France, by any chance?" again. My curiosity was something unstoppable.

"Ohonhonhonhon. Indeed, mon ami! I am from France!" he said grinning at me. What a strange way to laugh!

"Frog, leave the kid alone. Don't you see you scared him with your disgusting frog-face!" finally, British accent. "Don't mind him. He is nust," the Brit said. He was almost as tall as me, maybe a few centimeters taller. He had blonde hair, lime-green eyes and fair skin. Also, he had bushy black eyebrow and he was dressed in a light-brown shirt and black trousers.

"He wasn't scared until you came along," the French guy said slightly annoyed.

"Oh, I bet on my afternoon tea he bloody scared actually!" and they started to argue. I tried to stop them but they didn't even listen to me. And so the mess started. The Brit had his hands around the Frog's neck vise versa. Soon other joined as well. Some of them were telling them to stop, while others cheered on them to go on.

"Oh, what's up, dudes?" that was the Bomber Jacket Guy from earlier, whose name I forgot. He looked at me. "What did Frog do this time? Hmmm...?" he asked me as if I would know. I shrugged and thought maybe it was a common thing between those two. "Oh, Big-Brows, dude, what's goin' on?" he interrupted those two and finally the Brit payed attention to someone.

"He scared the newbie with his disgusting frog-face!" he explained waving his hands like a desperate bird.

"I did not! He'z fantazizing!" the French guy replied furiously.

"The newbie? What newbie?" Bomber Jacket asked looking around as if he were searching for someone. Was he dumb or what?

"I am the newbie!" I said frowning and he laughed. I thought I was careless but that guy was really weird.

"Oh, is that so? That sounds cool. Do you like hamburgers?" Bomber Jacket asked.

"I guess so..." I said. "Why do you ask?" I asked.

"Because I love them,umm..what was your name?" I practically face-palmed. Seeing him looking so bright while being so dumb was actually funny but I was not in the mood for it right then.

"Vladimir Lupei," I introduced myself again. It was true I forgot his name, but I didn't bother to ask him again. Eventually I will remember or if not then..."_Nu ştiu."****_

The bell rang and we had no choice but go to our classes. I hear the Brit scolding Bomber Jack about skipping classes and the Frog complaining to someone else about how rude some dude called Arthur was. I shrugged. Bomber Jack sounded fine. Maybe I shall call him Jack. Yeah, Jack would do. As for Frog...I don't really understand. Even Jack called him that so maybe that was his name. Kind of silly, but oh well...

At Art I found myself staying next to a strange guy. He had brown hair and a curl on the left side of his head. He was a bit taller than me and he seemed very girly. He had his eyes almost closed the whole time, so I didn't get to look at his eye colour. What an airhead!

"Ciao, my name's Feliciano," he said. I could recognize his accent. He was Italian! What a strange school, there were so many foreigners! I smiled at him not sure if he even saw me and I told him my name.

"Oh, from Romania, I guess?" he said smiling and I nodded, again not sure if he could see me or not. "That sounds _incredibile!" _He clapped his hands happily. "Do you have pasta there?" he asked and I chuckled. It seemed that everyone was quite weird and obsessed with food.

"Yup. But I bet it can't be compared to the real thing," I laughed.

The rest of the class went smoothly. The teacher told us what materials we should bring and she started talking about Van Gogh, but I wasn't listening. So far, the day was going well. At some point I wondered about Matthew, but then my thoughts flew to another mystery: Aleksander Balakov. He was so uptight and indifferent I thought I was going to be ignored here as well. But my worries died as soon as I met Feliciano. Feliciano was a nice guy, actually. He was 16 as well and he loved painting and such. We talked about Art and about food, especially pasta. Normally I would have been annoyed, but he was so sweet and honest while talking about pasta that I couldn't help and get excited too. One conclusion: Italians are contagious.

I felt bad that we had to part after the end of the class, but he had to meet with some friend of his, someone called Ludwig...I guess. I've always been bad at remembering names. They just didn't remain in my mind if I had no interest in the person.

Third class: Maths. I hate Maths with all my soul and mind. I just don't get numbers. Everything goes by the rules and for me, rules are horrible. And there was this thing that I was left handed and saw things backwards. Especially numbers. I could be thinking about number "64" but when I open my mouth to say it, it turns out "46" and I don't even realise if someone's not correcting me. When I was younger it was even worse, but that's a whole different story...

I dragged my feet across the hall, hunching my back even worse than the hunch back of Notre Dame. My back felt heavy, my whole body did. It was like I was carrying the whole school all alone. Maybe you think I was exaggerating, but that's truly how I felt. For all the Maths haters out there, you should know what I am talking about.

I was at the first floor and luckily I got a window seat. What wasn't lucky at all was that I sat next to Aleksander who was just as frigid as before. Cool! The only seat free was next to him and I didn't want to stay around him. He was just too creepy for me to understand. I gulped as I sat down.

"Hey, do you like Maths?" I asked trying to open a conversation. I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. That's who I was, who I am and who I'll be. Green orbs met mine in a rather intense stare. For a couple of moments I thought he wasn't going to answer and I wanted to look away, but he did answer in the end.

"Yes," that was all and he turned to look in the classroom. No question like "what about you?" or "why?". No. I felt completely ignored and somehow I felt the urge to tease him. Bad.

"That explains a lot," I said and scoffed. I didn't like to be mean, but I felt like he wanted me to be.

"What do you mean by that?" he immediately said turning to look at me. He narrowed his eyes dangerously as if saying: "I dare you to say something bad about me and I'll punch you in the face." Suddenly, I felt my lips curling in a grin.

"Oh, nothing..." I said biting my lower lip. "Only that..." I snickered and he glared at me. Mr. Uptight was going to be fun to tease.

"Do you have something against Maths?" he asked frowning, slightly getting his face closer to mine as in a demand. I flashed him another grin, but without showing him my teeth fully.

"And what if I do?" I stuck my tongue out and he backed away, almost disgusted. "What?" I went after him totally forgetting about acting nice and such.

"Go away. You are disgusting," he said trying to pull me away, but that only made me more sadistic.

"Is that so?" I asked gazing intensely at him and he tried to get away from me again. He was on the verge of falling when I caught his arm and dragged him back. He gasped in surprise and I would have done the same. What was wrong with me? Acting all nasty and teasingly with someone I barely knew? "S-sorry!" I said and got up. "I am deeply sorry, Aleksander," I bowed in an apologetic way and he looked at me surprised.

"It's ok, Lupei," he said trying to calm me down.

"Usually I am not acting so rude and mean. I don't know...what's gotten into me," I looked away while saying all that. Somehow I was embarrassed.

"It's fine. Moving to another country and another school must be though. No one can act calm," he said and I looked at him. The same frigid expression. The same icy green eyes. But his tone wasn't glacial like before. It was not friendly either. You could say he was more like indifferent. Or so I thought.

"Yeah, I guess..." and the rest of the time I said nothing but stared at the whiteboard. I had no idea what the teacher said and I didn't even care. My mind was just blank.

After the classed finished I stood up and stretched my back, yawning loudly. Aleksander didn't even move.

"You're not going?" I asked him surprised as I held my stuff.

"Where?"

"You know..to the fourth class," I said.

"It's going to take place in here," he told me as if I was some dumb child. I felt like punching him, but I didn't do it. I left the classroom. I couldn't stand his arrogant attitude. What had I done to be treated like that? I started to wander the halls aimlessly, not caring that I might get lost. That's how I ran into Matthew. Again. But this time I didn't tug him to the ground.

"Hey, Matthew!" I said suddenly feeling better. Aleksander Balakov could go to Hell, for all I cared. He flashed me another shy smile. Why couldn't my desk-mate be as sweet as Matthew or Feliciano? "How was your day?" I asked.

"Just like always," we stopped walking. "I mean, no one even bothered to look at me," I think he felt lonely. I grabbed his shoulders and turned him to look me in the eye.

"Well, that's going to change, 'cuz I am not going to ignore you," I said and at first I thought he was going to wrap his hands around my neck and give me one hell of a hug. But he didn't. He just stood there in front of me smiling brighter than ever. "Come on! Let's go! What class do you have now?"

"English," the reply came quickly and I jumped happily.

"Really? That's so great! I mean, I am having the same," I almost shouted. I was taking big steps and Matthew tried to catch up with me, but he didn't complain. "So, where should we go?" I asked him and he told me he'd show me the way. I didn't even realise where we were going, but as soon as we got to our destination, I felt my blood freezing in my veins and my face falling to the ground. Why, fate? Why do you have to be so cruel? Huh?

"Vladimir, what's wrong?" Matthew asked worried and I sighed shaking my head in disapproval.

"Nothing," I lied. I was in the same classroom as Mr. Uptight was. "Would you like to sit near me?" I asked trying not to peek at the Bulgarian. "We can sit in the middle row if you want," I proposed and I tried not to sound desperate. He nodded and we sat on the second seat since Matthew had a bad eye-sight or at least that's what he said.

Behind us, stood Feliciano and another guy I didn't know, but somehow he resembled the Italian. I turned to look at them. Feliciano gladly hugged me over the desk, thing I found weird but I didn't argue over it. I waved my hand playfully at his desk-mate and he growled at me.

"I'm Vladimir Lupei," I introduced myself not wanting to back down.

"Freak," he said rolling his eyes. I think I looked surprised because Feliciano started to rebuke him about being polite with strangers.

"Forgive him. He's in a bad mood today," Feliciano said and I shrugged as if it was nothing. And it was nothing. I didn't like being called 'freak' by some guy I didn't even know, but somehow, I could tell that he didn't really meant it. He was more like indifferent, whereas Mr. Uptight was cold on a purpose. That's how I felt. Speaking of which, I could feel his glare almost all the time I sat with the others. Maybe I was imagining things, but it felt so real.

"Lovino's never been too polite to anyone, anyway," someone said in an amused voice. I looked up and saw someone rather tall. He had tanned skin, olive eyes and somewhat curly brown hair. He also wore a bright smile on his lips and eyes.

"Shut up, bastard!" Feliciano's friend said punching the tanned guy. "Why would I be polite to an idiot like you?" he asked him, but the other only laughed and ruffled his hair.

"You never change, do you?" somehow, I felt like I shouldn't be there listening their conversation. It felt so private, as if they had known each other for a long, long time, thing I hardly experienced with someone, besides family. "By the way, I am Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. I am 17 years old, but I'll be turning 18 soon," he said smiling at me. Judging his name he was either Spanish or Italian. But I would go for Spanish.

"Vladimir Lupei," I said. "16 years old," somehow I felt so small compared to him. The bell rang and Antonio left the class. I turned my back to Lovino and Feliciano trying to focus on the blank whiteboard, but soon I felt my gaze lingering on Mr. Uptight. He wasn't looking at me, but at the whiteboard, perhaps. No one cared to sit next to him, as he was the only one to be alone in a class of 30. He had a good spot, the second sit, so why hasn't anyone joined him? Did he really had no friends at all?

I couldn't concentrate the whole hour. At some point I stopped starring at him, but my thoughts were still wondering somewhat about him. It was the first day of school, so I didn't even know him. Why was I obsessing myself over someone like him? It was useless and stupid. Why did his attitude bother me so much? It wasn't the first time I was treated like that, I've been through worse. Then what is all about?

I tried to figure out a logical explanation, but I couldn't. Somehow, I ended up being swept up by my past again. I didn't even hear the bell ringing. It was Feliciano who shook me to get up.

Being the first day of school, we hadn't had the full schedule. I was glad to hear that. I don't know how do things go in other English cities, but Clover was amazing so far. I packed up my stuff and waited for Matthew to do so as well. We left the building together talking about bears. Matt loved bears. I didn't quite understand why, but should there be a reason to like something? I don't think so. I liked wolves, for example, but if you ask me why, I can talk to you about them for hour, but I wouldn't actually answer the question.

We went down the hill, not even knowing when the time flew. He had to wait for someone and I left with the first bus that came.

For a first day at a different school, in a new city, I think I did well.

* * *

**A.N. :*Manele=(from Romanian, _fem._ _sg._ manea; _pl._ manele, the plural form being more common) is a music style from Romania.**

****Amice=friend**

*****Nu ştiu= I don't know.**

******La naiba!=To hell! or Fuck!**

**Well, I hope you will like it. The pairings I have in mind for this fanfic, at least right now, are: UsUk, PrAus, FraNada, SpaMano, GerIta and of course RoBul! 3**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Evil green. Pure red**

_"Beware of the neighbours...they might bite"_

* * *

It was around 5 pm when I got home. Our house was placed in The Private District of the town, where there were only a few houses. In front of us, there was a single house. The others were spread across the neighbourhood, in the forest. The Private District was situated at the town's edge and it was a rather peaceful area, excepting the few cars that passed by. Our house had two floors and it was spacious, maybe too spacious if you ask me. The front door was made of rosewood, a very dark reddish brown coloured surface. The walls were wheat and somehow they matched the colour of the leaves that started to get rusty already. Our house had a forest in the backyard and a few tall trees surrounding the building. In my opinion, it looked nice.

The front door opened and my mother stepped out of the house. She waved at me and I waved back happily. I love my mother, she is kind and has a child's heart, always thinking how to make things fun for me and dad. Her hair was copper red and she had chestnut brown eyes. She was tall, looking most like a model, but not as skinny as one. That day she wore a summer white dress which resembled her white skin. She had freckles spread across her nose and a bit on her cheeks and I thought she looked cute.

"Hey, honey, come in or you'll get cold!" she said to me in English. Unlike my dad, she preferred speaking in English even in the house. My dad would always argue about it, but each time he said anything against it, she just replied:"While in Rome, do as Romans do."

"Ok, mom," I said and I hurried to get in. She was right. Outside the wind started to blow harshly and I felt my cheeks cold from it. It was an unusual weather for the first day of September, but I liked it. "What's that?" I asked pointing at the gift box she held in her hands. She smiled slyly.

"You'll see," she said and handed me the box. I took it and I looked at it. It was wrapped in a beige paper and had a brown bow. It wasn't heavy and I really wondered what could be inside, but something inside me told me it wasn't meant to be mine. Meanwhile she put up her trench coat, a black one and took an umbrella. She took the box back and grabbed her keys. "Put on your coat, Vlad," and I did as I was told. She left the house first and I ran to catch up with her.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously. She smiled and gave me the box back.

"To the house next door," she replied and I found my eyebrows almost meeting in a frown. "Don't give me that look, Vlad. We should be nice to our neighbours. We moved here a month ago, but we haven't even visited them," she averred and I nodded. What she had said was true. We were so busy with decorating the house we hadn't even visited them. "I heard they have a boy around your age. That should be fine, maybe you'll become friends," she said a bit more relaxed as we stopped in front of the neighbour's white door.

**DING-DONG. DING-DONG. **

I was the one pressing the doorbell with my right hand. My mother was behind me and I could hear the rain starting to fall. Still no one opened the door. I started to get impatient as my finger pressed the button again.

**DING-DONG. DING-DONG.**

And then the door finally opened revealing a nice woman wearing a green apron. She had pitch-black hair and dark-green eyes. Seeing my mother and I standing outside she smiled and wiped her hands on her green fabric.

"Yes?" she asked, her accent sounding somehow familiar, but I couldn't remember where I heard it. One thing I knew for sure: it wasn't British nor American.

"We live next door and we thought to bring you this," I said and smiled cheerfully handing her the box. "Sorry to be late, but we were busy with the house," I continued and I could feel my mother's smile on my back neck. She had to be proud of me for acting so nice to strangers, especially knowing I didn't really liked strangers.

"Oh, that's so kind of you. Come in, come in. You'll catch a cold outside," and she stepped back letting us enter the building. We complied and took off our shoes. "Let's go to the living room. I'll pour you some tea. Is that ok?" she asked showing us the way to the said room.

The living room looked nice. It had beige wallpaper, a brown sofa with a black table in front of it. In a corner there was a fireplace. The floor was wooden but it was covered by a beige carpet. Also, there were two brown armchairs in front of the sofa, between them, there was the table. The room had large windows and we could see the forest. The rain drops hit the windows making a nostalgic sound. I sat on the sofa and my mother followed.

"Honey, could you please come here? We have guests!" our neigbour shouted in the hall.

"Yeah, yeah.." someone answered from upstairs. Then I heard steps on the stairs. The person seemed to hurry and he went to another room, most probably the kitchen. I heard him and his mother discuss something, but I couldn't catch their conversation.

She came in and the other person followed. I turned to look and I felt my heart freezing and my eyes going bigger than the moon. That had to be a joke! And a very bad one, on top of it! _Ooo, Doamne! De ce?* _It seems that he was surprised as well, because for a couple of moments, his eyes went wide as well and he didn't even step in the room.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked almost shouting.

"I live here, Lupei," he said going back to his icy self. He entered the living room and sat on one of the armchairs. "I should be the one asking you since you are in this house," he said staring at me intensely as if he were demanding an explanation.

"Well, I live next door," I said and pointed to the house door while faking a smile. Why, of all people who could have live next to us, why did it have to be him? I felt like I was starring in a low-quality teenage movie.

"You know each other?" our mothers said at the same time and we nodded.

"Actually, we share the same desk in some classes," we both replied then threw each other a glare. I felt like punching him again. I wasn't the violent type. I really wasn't, only that his face requested my fist in it. He, as well, didn't seem pleased to meet me.

"That's such a nice coincidence! I bet you two will become good friends!" his mother said and I almost felt like shouting and running in circles. I forced a smile and nodded. "Anyway, I have forgotten to introduce myself. I am Maya Balakov, pleased to meet you! And this is my son, Aleksander."

"I am Iasmina Lupei and he is Vladimir," my mother said in a pleased voice. I don't know if she or Mrs Balakov realised the tension between him and me, but none of them seem to care. Karma must be hating me.

It seemed that my mother bought our neighbours a cake and Mrs. Balakov insisted on sharing it with us. I ate my slice and drank my tea, but Mr. Uptight just stared at the cake as if it was his death enemy. I tried to ignore him.

"Why won't you two go upstairs and get to know each other better?" his mom suggested. Mr. Uptight said nothing for a while then he nodded. I gulped down and stood up. This day couldn't get any worse. He stood up as well and he left the room. I followed not really feeling like it.

"Why didn't you refuse to do it?" I asked as we were heading upstairs. "It's plain obvious you don't want me here. You could say something like 'not now' or 'maybe later'," I asked confused and he stopped in front of a door. He turned to look at me.

"I am polite to my mother, unlike someone," he replied and opened the door. My jaw almost dropped. Was he making of me? When was I treating my mom without respect? Ughh, he was such a rude bastard.

"I am polite to my mother as well! Who are you to know, anyway?" I asked and followed him inside. His room was tidy. Crazy tidy if I must say. It almost looked boring and unreal. I think he realised what I was thinking because he grimaced and pointed a chair with his index, while he sat on his bed. I complied and sat down at his writing desk. I wanted to ask him why was everything so monotone, but I didn't dare. I was too afraid to find the answer.

"I guess your room is messy, isn't it?" again. His tone was gelid, almost superior. I didn't bother to glare at him, instead I looked at his lap-top which was turned off.

"And what if it is? It's none of your business, anyway," I stated using my most indifferent tone. "It's not like I care about you and your stuff," I continued and looked outside through the window. The rain was falling heavily and somehow I felt like I was going to spend many hours in his room. "If I knew you were my neighbour, I would have stayed home," I added and turned to glare at him. Green orbs widened in surprise, at first, then they became icy again. I started to feel sick and turned my gaze to his lap-top again.

"Is that so," he said more like to himself, I guess. And silence fell upon us. I started to feel bad for being such a callous guy towards him. I didn't even know him yet I acted like he had killed my entire family in front of my eyes. I couldn't explain my attitude towards him. It must have been because he mostly remembered me of the bullies I met while I was in Romania. I guess.

"Yeah," I said in the end. I was a stubborn bastard. I know that. But I didn't want to admit that I was frustrated neither. Maybe the next day I could swap seats with someone else. But I wonder, who would even want to do it? Well, after thinking about it a while, I realised that no one would. So I was stuck with him for the rest of the year. Awesome, isn't it?

He wasn't even listening. Actually he opened a book and started to read, completely ignoring my existence. I looked at the cover, but it seemed it was written in Bulgarian. So he liked to read. I liked that too. I was a little surprised we had something in common, but I didn't drop my guard down. He was an icy bastard no matter if he liked to read or not.

"How long are you going to stare at me, Lupei? Have you never seen a book before? I bet you haven't," he scoffed not even rising his gaze from the book. I threw him a death glare. How dare he insult me like that?

"Huuh?! That's just rude! For your information, I love reading books,_** Balakov**_," I pressed on his name and he cocked an eyebrow, raising his green orbs from the text.

"Hmm..." and he went back to his book. I blinked confused at him, but said nothing. I really wanted to go home. It felt awkward, the whole situation and I bet he was thinking the same. But the rain continued to fall down and I could hear our mothers laughing downstairs. I was glad my mother got along with Mrs. Balakov, but at the same time sad. I couldn't go home because she would be upset. I wanted my mother to be happy and make friends, but that also meant I had to stand Mr. Uptight. Well, it was not like I really had a choice so sighed closing my eyes. "Do you want something to read?" he asked and I almost jumped on my feet as hearing his voice. I turned my reddish eyes and pointed with my index to my chest. "Yes, I was talking to you. You said you liked books and you looked bored. That is if you didn't lie," I mentally face-palmed. At first I had thought he started to be polite, but I guess I was wrong.

"If you have anything beside Bulgarian books, then yes. I can't read sloth,***" grinning almost I said in a cold, mean tone.

"How dare you?!" He stood up putting his book in his bed. "And here I thought I could be nice to a low-life like you!" Woow. I have never seen him angry before. His expression was priceless, it brought my sadistic side to surface.

"You? Nice? Don't joke around, _**Balakov.**_ You can't even be nice!" I said standing up as well. I was provoking him, I know. And his face went as red as a tomato. He looked as if he was going to explode.

"You don't even know me," he said narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"Maybe, but I tried being friendly to you and you were acting like Mr. Uptight," I retorted his expression became more frigid than ever. He grimaced and sat down on his bed. "Oh, that's all? You throw some insults then go back to your book?" I teased. "That's lame," I didn't even had time to finish my teasing, because he got up quickly and went towards me even faster.

"Look, you selfish prick, I don't like you one bit. But I have to behave nice because my mother likes yours and they get along well. Consider yourself lucky I don't strangle you right now, right here," his cold fingers were wrapped around my neck firmly and I found myself staring at him like he were my death enemy. "So behave or I might change my mind," he let go of my neck, but not of my gaze. Suddenly I grinned. This guy was despicable. I really felt like beating the crap out of him, but at the same time I felt something else, like a sparkle. It wasn't anger, but excitement. I felt provoked and I wanted to tease him badly.

"Well, you are not a nice company, if I must say, Mr. Uptight," I grinned wildly revealing my teeth. Usually I don't do that, because my teeth are curiously sharp, like a predator's and most of people get scared or say that I am a vampire. I am not, but I have sharp teeth. "But I will not rip off your pretty neck, because I find you amusing enough to keep around," I continued while scratching my chin as if I was analyzing him. He took a step back, his stare losing some of its intensity.

"Y-your teeth..." he said frowning as he hit the door with his back. I chuckled. Oh, he so deserved it.

"Well, that's rude," I stated and leaned forward, not leaving the chair thought. "What's with them?" I cocked an eyebrow as in a demand. He slightly gulped down.

"N-nothing," he stuttered. Oh, dear Lord, he really stuttered. I burst out laughing arching my back and looking at the ceiling.

"Your face was priceless. You should have seen yourself!" I said between my crazy outburst. I fell on my knees, laughing still, while punching the floor. I didn't even bother to look at his face, I was laughing too hard.

"Well, I'm glad I entertained you, Lupei," he said in a sarcastic voice and threw himself in bed.

"Oh, come on. It was really funny!" I smiled wiping tears from my eyes with my hand. I looked up at him, he was annoyed and maybe he felt uneasy. I couldn't tell. His expressions weren't easy to read, neither were his books. Anyway, maybe it was because of the light that entered through the window, or maybe it was purely my imagination, but he seemed to have soften a little tiny bit. "You know, it's not my fault you are so frigid," I said and shrugged.

"Yeah, thanks," he rolled his eyes. "Better frigid than idiotic," and with that he returned to his book. If I hadn't been laughing so hard until then I would have punched him. I was sure of it. Instead I thought that teasing him some more would actually be fun. So I proceeded.

"Oh, shut up, I am irresistible!" I smirked and he threw me another death glare.

"Irresistible? You? When the pigs will fly over rainbows," I rolled my eyes and grimaced. No really, this guy requested to be teased, but I didn't feel like it back then. So I just sighed and turned to look through the window. I don't know how much time passed, my mind went blank, but what brought me to reality was the door opening. It was our mother. I turned to face them.

"Vlad, darling, it's time for us to leave," she announced and I nodded smiling brightly at her. Oh, finally! I thought I was going to stay there forever. "Did you two have fun? I heard you laughing hysterically from downstairs. It's been a while since then," she said ruffling my hair. She treated me like a child, but I didn't argue. I liked to be loved, I liked it when others showed affection towards me.

"Yeah, we are really getting along, aren't we, Aleksander?" I said faking a smile at him and narrowing my eyes slightly as in a warning.

"Of course, we are totally understanding each other. We might even become best friends," he faked a smile as well, but I could feel the hatred in his voice. Oh, how lovely that was!

"I'm so glad to hear that! Vlad never got the chance to have friends," my mother said and my smile faded. This was bad, my weak point had been revealed to my greatest enemy. Suddenly, I felt like I wanted to be swallowed by the ground. Why, fate? Why did you do this to me?

"Is that so?" he asked but I didn't dare to look at him. My heart was racing madly in fear. "No problem, Mrs. Lupei, I'll gladly be his best friend," he continued in a strange tone, as if he were saying: "Don't worry, bastard, I've got your weak point now. I'll gladly ruin your life as soon as tomorrow comes," I felt like killing him or myself.

"You are such a good boy, Aleksander. I am glad you two met. Maybe you can come pick Vladimir tomorrow. He has the bad habit of getting up late," and suddenly I felt like putting a duct tape over my mom's mouth.

"Of course, Madam," he said and got up. "I'll gladly help him with anything he needs," but that sounded more like: "I'll gladly torture him every time I can!"

"Oh, just Iasmina," she said and I could feel the horror building up inside me. I looked up at him and his green eyes was fixing mine. I felt like a victim trapped in a horror movie, in front of me stood the Devil himself. His lips were curled in a smile, but his eyes were as icy as ever. "You can come to breakfast if you feel like," my mother said happily, completely clueless about what was going on between him and me.

"Thanks for the offer, Iasmina. You are so kind. And Vladimir is just like you. I'm feeling so lucky!" what a joke. How could he pretend to be so sweet in front of grown ups, but around the others was a total bastard? I couldn't be like that and suddenly I wished I could move to another place. Maybe with some luck...

"Oh, you are such a good kid. Have a nice evening, Aleksander," and we left.

* * *

It was 7 am and I was dragging my feet lazily while trying to go to the bathroom. My vision was blurry and my head ached. Maybe you are wondering "what happened, Vlad? Did your night go bad?" _Oameni buni, _you have no idea.** It didn't go bad, but the worst. I couldn't sleep at all, but my mind was full of my past and the current problem: Aleksander Balakov. He was worse than a bully. With bullies it was easy. I learned karate and I could bring them down any time. After a few times of beating them up, they would give up eventually. But Aleksander was different. He threatened me that he was going to strangle me, but he did even press his fingers on my flesh. Instead, he used words and opportunities. He was a glacial bastard, but he was smart. Damn.

And it didn't take me too long to think about faking a stomach ache. Actually, I've got a head ache. That would work. I changed my route and went downstairs where I found mom cooking. She seemed surprised to see me up already. Mother stopped cooking and turned to look at me.

"You look pale, is something wrong?" she asked really worried.

"I don't know. My head hurts and I couldn't sleep well," I said and lowered my gaze to add a dramatic effect. I was a good actor, I knew that for certain.

"Oh, poor you. You must be overwhelmed by so many changes. I'll give you a pill, but you have to go to school. It's just the second day. You can't miss it," she said patting my head then she leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "You have temperature," her eyes were sad. "I'll give you the best tea and you shall go and try to sleep. It'll work. When should you go to school?"

"I should be leaving at 11 am," I said closing my eyes tiredly.

"That's no good. I'll be gone at that time and I can't drive you there," she said obviously thinking about the situation. Maybe I really had a chance to stay home. "I don't know. For now, go upstairs and try to sleep. I'll bring you tea and a painkiller," and I left feeling better already. Maybe I didn't have to meet that bastard. Oh, but how wrong I was!

Hours passed and I actually fell asleep in the end. I drank my tea and took the painkiller and sleep visited me after a while. I felt better. But that's when everything was ruined. The door opened and I thought it was my mother, so I rolled to face the door, only to have my eyes widen in terror. Was this some kind of a joke? Some kind of a hallucination? No. It was as real as it could be. A joke? Definitely. A bad one.

"Good morning, sunshine! Time for you to get up, Vladimir," he said leaning forward and I found our closeness suffocating.

"I don't wanna," I said rolling on the other side and covering my head with my fluffy white blanket. It had to be a nightmare. It had to!

"Oh, come on! Don't be so grumpy! Mom will take us to school so we don't have to walk. You'll see that if you breath some fresh air, you'll feel refreshed and reborn, even," he said and grabbed the blanket with the intention of revealing me.

"No way," I said and grabbing the fabric stubbornly. I might have been weakened, but I was no pansy. I could beat him anytime. He let go off my blanket and I had thought I won, but that was not it! He threw himself in bed and whispered to my ear through the blanket. I don't know how he had known where my ear was but he guessed right.

"Look, you little idiot, if you won't get up faster, I might go around and spread some nasty rumors about you. Maybe I am not liked at school, but I've never done any harm to anyone. So they will believe me. It's up to you," he said and got up.

"I hate you!" I said tossing the blanket away. "I genuinely hate you!" another glare. Another frown.

"Yeah, well, I hate you too, so don't worry. It's not like I am here because I like your personality too much!" he said crossing his arms and I got our of bed. "Now move your lazy ass or we are going to be late. And I don't want to be dragged down by someone like you," I arranged my blanket, the pillows and the sheet.

"And now if you excuse me, I want to get changed. Could you be as kind as in to leave my room?" I asked grimacing.

"Of course. Why would I want to watch you changing? Good Lord, you are so disgusting," he looked down at the shirtless me. I chuckled. Was this guy wearing his pajama while sleeping? I mean the pants _**and**_ the blouse? How weird. I could only stand the pants, but if I put on the blouse I would die suffocated. He left the room and I burst into laughter again. What a weirdo!

I went to take a quick shower then I put on a black striped hoodie and deep sky blue jeans. I tossed my notebooks and my books in the school bag and left the room. I wondered what had he thought when he entered my room. I bet he was expecting it to be awfully messy. Hah. I proved him wrong.

Actually I tidied it up the other day as soon as I got home. I stood up late, somehow sensing that the bastard would barge into my room the following day. I had a helpful premonition and somehow I felt like I won against Mr. Uptight. It was a small victory, I knew, but still, there was something. I went downstairs where I found him standing at the door, tapping the marble floor with his shoe.

"Hurry up!" he said and I put on my trainers. He opened the door and went outside. That day he was wearing a green, black jeans and a black blazer. Outside, the weather was gloomy again but it wasn't raining. At least not yet. I grabbed my red trench coat and left the house. What surprised me to death was that the Bulgarian turned to face me, went towards me and locked the door. My house! My door! Why did he have my key?

"Where did you get that?" I asked following him to his mother's car. He didn't even bother to look at me but mumbled something about my mom giving this to him. I threw him the most angered glare I could put up. Too bad he was with his back at me, so he wasn't hit my ultra-full-of-hate-kind-of-glare. We both sat on the back seat.

"Good morning, Mrs. Balakov!" I said politely, once again regaining my sweet careless expression. His mother was such a nice lady...why did he turn out to be such a jerk? She smiled.

"Good morning to you as well, Vladimir. And, please, call me Maya. I feel old when you address me formal," and she chuckled. I nodded. "I heard from Iasmina you felt ill this morning. Did something happen?" her voice seemed really worried.

"I don't know. I guess it's because of too many changes in a short time," I lied and scratched my hair innocently. She sighed and offered me a cookie.

"Here. I bet you are hungry. I made it this morning so it should be ok. Try not to stress yourself too much. It brings you no good anyway. Aleksander was the same, two years ago when we moved here. He was so stressed about everything, that he fell ill for a week," she said looking at the road. I smiled, but my gaze fell upon the Bulgarian that stood next to me. He looked back at me, silently saying: "you wouldn't dare!" and I chuckled.

"That's such a shame," I said trying to seem sorry, while in my head I was laughing madly. Mr. Uptight narrowed his green eyes at me, but I didn't mind him. A great plan made its way in my head. If I stayed around his mother long enough, maybe I could snatch a bitter sweet secret about him and then we would be equal.

The drive was nice, actually. Maya asked me a lot of thinks and I gladly found myself opening to her.

"What kind of music do you listen to, Vladimir?" she asked at some point and I turned my gaze from the window to look at her.

"Well usually I listen to rock, such as Metallica, but I like classical music as well. For example, I really like Chopin and his Nocturnes, Beethoven and his Moonlight Sonata and Mendelssohn with his Venetian Gondolier. I also love soundtrackes, especially those composed by Hans Zimmer," I said actually forgetting about Aleksander's presence.

"Wow. See, Aleks, you are not alone!" Maya said and reality hit me. Oh, yeah, Aleksander was there as well.

"You like Chopin?" he asked in a surprised voice as if he hadn't seen me until then. My eyes turned to look at him, or to be honest to investigate his expression. I was surprised too, to see him less frigid than usual. I nodded. "And Hans Zimmer?" he continued even more surprised. Another nod. "And Beethoven?" that time his eyes went as big as the dinner plates. If I weren't surprised as well, I would have rolled on the floor laughing like a mad person. Another nod. "I had no idea that we share the same interests in music. Well, excepting the rock part," he said his I-am-so-frigid-I-won't-even-bother-to-change level went drastically somewhere around Maybe-I-can-change-into-a-nice-person. I smiled, this time without faking it, without trying to be mean or sneaky. "But I still hate you," he winked at me as he wrote this on the steamy window with his index. He then cleared it and returned to his I-am-so-frigid-I-don't-even-need-a-carrot-stuck-up -in-my-arse. I mentally punched myself for thinking he could be nice.

"Hehe. That's why we will be such good friends!" I said faking a happy voice and he nodded without even looking at me. He was reading again. His mother seemed pleased that we were "getting along well". Oh, if only she knew!

We reached school in the end and I thanked her. She waved us as in a goodbye and left. I turned to look at him.

"Don't tell me you are going to follow me wherever I might go," I said it more like a warning.

"Why would I bother? You think I was joking when I said that I hated you?" he said rolling his eyes in annoyance. I puffed.

"Well, good then. 'Cuz I don't want to see your Stuck Up face the whole day, Mr. Uptight. I have better things to do!" I said with the intention of leaving his side.

"Like hanging with Ghost-Guy or Pink-Brothers?" he asked and I turned to look at him.

"What?"

"You know, Matthew Williams and the Italian brothers, Lovino and Feliciano," the Bulgarian looked bored.

"They are brothers?" I asked curiously. He gave are-you-serious kind of look.

"Yes, the Vargas brothers," I shrugged. So they were family with Mr. Vargas. That was cool. I would have been so glad to have him as father or grandfather. "You don't even know who they are, but still you stick around with them. You are such a fool," his voice was full of arrogance.

"So what? So what if I don't know who they are? I'll find out eventually. And it's none of your business!" I started to get angry. He sighed, but his gaze was more intense than ever.

"I am not jealous. Stay with them, for all I care. Actually I am glad that you will stay with them, because this way I'll get rid of you and your stupid face," Aleksander was walking to his class. I was following him, but I had no idea why I did so.

"You say I am stupid but you don't even try to get to know me! How can you be so sure?" I felt insulted. Why was he looking down on me? I knew that in my homeland there are a lot of stupid teens, but I was not like them!

"It's written all over your sorry excuse for man," he stated but he didn't even dare to look at me. And somehow he was lucky, because if he did, I would have his head ripped off.

"Thanks, Mr. Uptight. You are so wise," I retorted and left his side. I couldn't stand him anymore.

A few minutes later, I was wondering the halls by myself. I turned my head to right. Then to left. Holy macaroni! I was lost. In the end I decided to stop in front of a window and admire the beauty of the forest. My head was full of negative thoughts. Why did I have to be stuck with that damned Bulgarian, not that I have something against Bulgarians, mind you. But why? Why was he so unfriendly, full of himself and frigid when he had such a nice mother? Maybe he had a bad father. After all, I haven't met him. But I had a stoic father and I wasn't a stuck up kid. Well, at least I liked to think so.

"You ok?" I turned to look at him. Next to me stood an albino with a worried expression on his face. His voice was hoarse, but that made him seem more manly than ugly. He wore black clothes and black boots. At his neck he had a necklace with a black cross and he had lots of rings. In his left ear he had pierced a dragon. He didn't even seem to mind the cold air as he was wearing just a tank top and a tartan shirt completely unbuttoned.

"Yeah. I just got lost," I said and it was true after all. It didn't matter if I were lost both in reality and in my thoughts.

"I'll help you, newbie. By the way, name's Gilbert Beilschmidt," he hold out his hand to me.

"Vladimir Lupei," a wide smile spread across my face and I hold out my hand as well. He grinned pleased and we shook hands.

"Vlad, so...where to?" he asked. "And don't tell me you are going to your class. You are going to skip with me and the others," he said letting go of my hand. I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Skip classes? Me?" I asked surprised.

"Oh, don't play innocent. You are not a nerd. Even if you try to look and act like one. But I can recognize someone cool and rock from 20 miles," his grin grew wilder, so did mine. "So, how about it? In or out?"

"In," I replied instantly. I was who I was. I was a rocker, a rebel, a trouble child. I needed to escape from my false identity of a good child from time to time, and Gilbert was my salvation.

* * *

***Ooo, Doamne, de ce?= Oh, God, why?**

****Oameni buni=Folks**

*****Sloth=I was talking about the animal. **

**Well, hope you enjoyed. Review if you liked it or not. :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Equal?**

_"How about we make a deal...?"_

* * *

It had started to rain and I put my hoodie on. Gilbert complained about 'not being prepared for such a _verdammt* _weather'. I chuckled and handed him my trench coat. His red pools gave it a long stare, but he took it in the end and mumbled '_danke'*_. I, again, chuckled and he rolled his eyes. It was just my second day at St. Andrew and I was already skipping classes. But it was only his fault! He was so annoying I couldn't help, but leave his side and get lost afterwards.

"So, how come you know German?" he asked me as we were running through the rain. I didn't look at him, but I kept focusing on the road so I would not trip over something.

"I was taught at school," my answer came in a simple, honest tone. And it was true. "I had to choose between German and French, and I chose German," I added after a while. "But I can't really talk in German. I can only translate from German to another language. Not vise versa. I had weird teachers who only told us to translate from German and I never got the grammar part so here I am only understanding what you say, but not being able to reply," I explained still looking at the ground. I bumped into him and I was about to fall, but he was quicker and he caught my hand and pulled me back.

"Watch out, _Alter!* _he said and I leaned on him trying to regain my balance, but it seemed that it didn't want to show up. "Dizzy, aren't you?" he smirked and I looked up at his face. Gilbert was taller than me and somehow, I felt uneasy standing there, leaning on his body.

"Well, yeah..._Entschuldigung!"* _I said but he didn't let go of me. "I-I had a hard morning. I knew I shouldn't have come to school today, but my mom insisted and...a lot of things happened," I said in a low sad voice. It really bothered me, Aleksander presence, and I hated to admit that.

"_Nein, _that's fine.* I know parents can be really annoying at times. If you want I can take you home," he said lifting me up and throwing my body over his shoulder as if I was a sack full of potatoes.

"P-put me down!" I shouted surprised that he had lifted me. "I-I can't go home," and I remembered that Mr. Stuck Up had my key. But Gilbert didn't put me down and I somehow gave up. We were going down the hill, through the forest. "I don't have a key with me," I explained as much as I could. It would be freaky to tell him that some frigid guy had my house key, right?

"Then I'll take you to my place," he continued walking. "Don't worry. I'm not a bad guy, I won't do anything if that's what you've been thinking," he said in a sincere voice, or at least that's how it sounded. Maybe he was a good actor too, but if so...then I couldn't help it. I kind of liked Gilbert. He was nice, despite his weird appearance, he was kind, despite his I-am-so-badass style of clothing.

"Thanks, Gil," I murmured and he scoffed. If only he could be my neighbour, not Jack Frost in person, then maybe my life would have been easier and I would have been happy. But, no, sir, no. It seemed that I had to endure everything anywhere I went.

"You're welcome, kiddo," and I punched him lightly in his back.

"I am no kid," I said frustrated. "I am just short. At least for now," he laughed.

"Well, I bet you are younger than me. I am 17," he said and I sighed. He was right.

"It's only a year. It's not that much!"

He laughed again, that time louder and I started to laugh too. He wasn't mean as he wanted to seem. If I would have been older, maybe we would share the same desk and we would definitely get along well. That's if we went to school. A few years ago I used to skip classes a lot. My first reason was to avoid the bullies, but then I had realised that I liked a lot to stay home at the computer learning different languages or how to draw. Despite the high number of absences I actually had good grades and everyone thought I was a nerd. But I wasn't. If I grew tired of pc, I would go and meet rockers as me. Back then, my mother was very worried. So I changed myself, apparently.

"How did you know I was pretending?" I found myself asking him after a while. "You know that I was some 'let's-study-all-day-and-night-kind-of-guy'.

"I don't know. You hid perfectly, don't worry. But I guess it's not something that has to do with clothes or appearance in general. It was more like the way you gazed and you talked. Something more inner, more private. One day, you'll understand, eventually," he said the last sentence in a strange tone and I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but I didn't. Something inside me thought it was wiser to shut up. And I obeyed.

In the end we reached an apartment complex somewhere in the town. He insisted on carrying me all the way and I tried, not only once, to escape, but he was strong. He lived at the sixth floor. As soon as we got in his apartment he kicked a few door and threw my in a bed. I tried to stay calm and have faith in him, that he didn't lie to me.

"Want some tea?" he asked and I nodded feeling my neck too dry to speak. He smiled softly and left me. I looked around me. His room was a total mess, clothes everywhere and I was even sitting on a pair of trousers and one of socks. His white walls were covered by posters with rock bands and I even found some I liked. On the floor there were dirty plates and finished beer bottles. He was underage and he was drinking. Not that I minded. I wasn't a rule-freak so it really didn't matter. His life, his choice.

He came back with a cup of tea and sat down on a pile of clothes, next to me, handing the tea over to me. I took it while smiling faintly and I sipped the hot liquid. His red eyes met mine as I delighting myself with his mint tea. Through steam and dust our gazes never dropped.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask. Do you have any friends?" he asked me and I stopped drinking the tea to look at him properly.

"Friends..yeah. Best friends? Not really," the answer came and I returned to my tea.

"How about we become best buddies? I'll introduce you to the others as well. I'm sure they'll like you!" he said getting enthusiastic already, mood that gripped me as well. I nodded and he grinned. "Yosh! We will really have fun, you'll see," he said winking at me and I laughed finishing my tea. "You can sleep if you want."

"Nope. Maybe I should be going back to school..." my mind was invaded by Jack Frost again.

"How so? Is something wrong?" he asked getting his face closer to mine so see if I was ok.

"Not really. But you see, my life recently had been complicated. I don't have my key, but one of my classmates have it," I said in the end in a bitter voice. Damn him, ruining my opportunities to have some fun.

"Why does he have it?" eyes narrowed suspiciously, red pools stared intensely.

"Well, I told you I felt ill in the morning and mom refused to let me stay home. Instead she left him the keys and his mother brought us to school," I said looking at the empty cup of tea.

"Why didn't you ask him to give it to you?" he took the cup from me and went to the kitchen with it. Gilbert quickly came back.

"He wouldn't have listened anyway. He never does," another bitter answer. Gilbert grabbed my chin forcing me to look at him.

"Look, I don't know what's between you two, but you can't let him boss you around. Talk back. Fight back. Be sarcastic, if it's needed," I almost felt myself smiling, but in a sad way.

"I do that every time. It doesn't work. He's just Mr. Uptight, Mr. Stuck Up, what can I say, Jack Frost in person," he let go of me. "I tried being friendly, not only once, but he goes around telling me I am an idiot and such," I continued in an angered tone. "I teased him a couple of times. Hell! I even scared him! But he is just as stoic as ever," I finished.

"Since when...?" now he seemed really worried.

"Yesterday," I felt stupid talking about someone as if I had known them for ages, when in reality I hadn't.

"That's fine. He'll warm up, eventually. And if he doesn't, he's the one who loses here, not you," he said and patted my shoulder friendly. "Let's get you back to school. We'll see the nurse and everything will be fine," he said and I nodded feeling better already. Something told me that I wasn't actually ill, but more like Aleksander-ill.

* * *

Everything went well and smoothly. The nurse believed us when we told her that Gilbert had found me laying in the hall with a terrible head ache. I continued the story by telling her that I was new in there and I had no idea where I was at that moment nor did I know how to reach her. He gave me a pill and told me to lie down for a while. Gil left me telling her he had to go to attend classes, but I knew he was going to skip them. I waved him goodbye and he did as well.

After twenty minutes, I got up, deciding to face my green eyed nightmare. The nurse wished me luck at my studies, I thanked her and left the room. Somehow I ended up meeting Feliciano who hugged the soul out of me.

"Where have you been?" he asked after he had released me. I took a deep breath and looked him in the eye and told him the same story I had told the nurse. "Gilbert helped you?" he asked a bit surprised.

"Well, yeah, he did and he was really nice and stuff," I said flashing him my careless smile and he smiled back at me, but worriedly.

"You don't know the rumors, right?" I shook my head in disapproval. What rumors? "They say he is no good and all he does is fight all the time," Feliciano said. "I have to ask Ludwig about it," he said the last sentence more like to himself, but curiosity got me again.

"Who's Ludwig?" I asked.

"Ah...a friend of mine," he looked away. "And Gilbert's _fratello,"_* he added and all I could to was to stare even more curios.

"Gilbert has a brother? He hadn't said anything to me. But, oh well, we haven't been talking too much," I added and my lips curled in an another casual smile. "That reminds me...I hear you and Lovino are brothers as well..."

"Oh, yeah. But we are very different. He has a potty mouth and he always seems to be in a bad mood, but actually he is just lonely," the Italian explained. "Antonio is most probably one of his few friends," the pasta lover stated and I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Antonio and Lovino are friends? Is this a joke? But your brother is even meaner to him, than to a stranger!" I bet on my favourite food that I sounded very doubtful.

"Oh, that's his way of showing his affection. Antonio got used to it. They had known each other since he was this small," he bent down to show me. "And Antonio had always been near him although Lovino told him to go away. The Spaniard has always been stubborn," Feliciano explained.

"I guess it's nice to have someone like that around you..." my words died on my lips, I felt them heavy.

"You mean, you never had a best friend?" I sighed for letting it slip, but nodded in the end. "Don't worry, I'll be your friend. And I bet Ludwig and Kiku will like you too," he said hugging me again. I knew it was a habit of them, Italians I mean, to hug a lot, but that much? Never mind. I needed that hug, although I didn't like to admit it.

"Thanks, Feliciano," I hadn't time to ask him who Kiku was as the bell rang and we headed to our classes.

I was having history again and that meant I had to sit near Jack Frost. His green eyes widened in surprise as he saw me entering the class and taking my seat. I didn't even bother to look at him, I put my notebook and my book on the desk and I let my gaze fall through the window.

"Where have you been?" he asked interrupting my stillness. But I didn't look at him, although I felt the urge to do it.

"I've been sick so I went to the nurse," I said plainly. Not friendly, not icy. I saw my reflection on the window and his behind my back. His green eyes weren't as icy as usual, but I didn't want to risk and act all friendly and nice. After all he said I was an idiot. I had to prove him wrong.

"Are you better now?" he asked. Suddenly I felt the urge to catch a glimpse of his expression, not his reflection.

"_Nu,*" _was my answer and I don't know if I started to imagine things but I swear I could hear him sighing. Romanians and Bulgarians have very different languages, but because their countries are neighbours, and because there were Romanians who liked the Bulgarian beach, some of the Bulgarians learned a bit of Romanian. Aleksander knew what 'nu' meant. It meant no.

"Then maybe you should go home," he suggested, but I decided to keep my indifferent attitude towards him. It was like showing him what it felt like to be ignored.

"No. I'll be fine," I said and ran my hand through my strawberry blonde hair. Oh, I bet deep down inside he was really fuming. Well, no matter what, he deserved it. Fully. He scoffed.

"Now you are acting like a child. Fine! You can even faint and I won't move one finger, for all I care!" he snapped and I stood still, listening to the rain pouring on the window. At that time I didn't want to admit it, but I felt bad for being such a jerk to him. If only I knew that jerk would become someone important...!

The class finished and we were having English again. It was the class in which I stayed next to Matthew so I gathered my stuff and went to the middle row. Matthew wasn't there yet, but I could wait. Feliciano sat on Matthew's chair and handed me a box.

"What's in there?" I asked him taking the box in my hands.

"Food. I thought you might be hungry after all that happened today..." he said smiling like an airhead, just like always. I could swear that guy could have a cute, pink background wherever he went. He was so sweet, I sometimes had to wonder if he really were a guy. But I never questioned him. It would have been rude.

"Thanks, Feliciano," I said and opened it. Inside, I found pasta and a sausage. Also, he handed me a fork and I took it smiling happily.

"I knew you had no time to go to the cafeteria so we brought you this," Feliciano explained and I frowned as I heard the word 'we'. "We didn't know what you like to eat so..." his words trailed off. 'We' again. That time, I didn't hold back.

"Who was with you?"

"Umm..Ludwig," I don't really know why but every time we spoke about that Ludwig-person, he seemed to hesitate and look away. "Oh, by the way, he said that those rumors about Gilbert were fake. It is true that he tries to seem though and grumpy and it's true that he skips classes a lot, but he is not a bad guy," Feliciano said and I nodded.

"Told you," I said and in front of the class door there stood a very happy Gilbert who waved at me. I looked back at him and he went towards my desk.

"Hiya there, Vlad," he pulling a chair from another desk to sit next to me. "Do you like the food?" he asked and winked at me.

"Yeah, it's good. Both the pasta and the sausage," I said munching my sausage. Gilbert's lips curled in a grin.

"It's wurst," he said and took a bite from my food. "Awesome, isn't it? But not as awesome as me!" his face was full of pride, I could tell that, but what made me laugh like a madman was the yellow bird that sat on his head. "Oh, stop it! You know I am awesome," Gil's tone was slightly hurt, but only as in a joke. His eyes were happy.

"What's up with that bird?" I asked after I stopped laughing.

"That's Gilbird," another person said from behind Gil's back. It was Antonio. "Hey, Vladimir, how are things going? I heard from Gilbert you felt sick," he said his olive eyes really worried.

"I'm a bit better now," and it was true. Haven't I told you I liked being accepted and appreciated? Well, there you have it. "Wait. Gilbird? That means it's yours?" realisation started to hit me. He nodded. "You are so awesome!" I exclaimed in awe, and if I were an anime character, I bet my eyes would have sparkled.

"See, guys? I told you countless times I'm awesome. The rookie knows the best," he ruffled my hair and I smiled really happy at him.

"Yeah, yeah. You finally found someone to pet, right, Gil?" it was the French Frog. "Oh, mon ami, I heard you were sick! Are you better now?" he said in a dramatic voice and I nodded. Somehow, everyone knew about me not feeling well. I wondered how. "Good, zhen. Oh, right. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Francis Bonnefoy!"

"Oh, Francis..." I guess I had a surprised look on my face because the Brit started laughing.

"He thought your name was Frog, you frog," the Brit said and I tried to apologize, but Francis said it was ok. "Anyway, I heard you were sick and I brought you tea..." and he gave me a bottle full of tea. "My name's Arthur Kirkland, pleased to meet you, Vladimir," and we shook hands.

"I have just one question. Ok, maybe two. But how come everyone knows I was sick?" I asked and Gilbert raised in his feet.

"I told Francis and Antonio, Antonio told Lovino, Lovino told Feliciano and Feliciano told Ludwig, Francis told Arthur and..." he was interrupted by some loud banging.

"And Big-Brows told me," Bomber Jack said making his entrance in the class. Arthur threw him a death glare and they started arguing again. "Oh, come on, it's not my fault you have brows bigger than France!" the Brit glared at him and jumped to strangle Bomber Jack, but he wasn't as tall as him so he ended up hugging him. Bomber Jack hugged the smaller teen back, forcefully.

"Let...go...of...me, idiot!" I could hear Arthur mumble. And Bomber Jack let him go. "Good Lord, Alfred! What were you trying to bloody do? Get my soul out of my body?" the Brit looked annoyed. And then I remembered. His name was Alfred F. Jones, Matthew told me...

"Where's Matthew?" I asked.

"Who?" that was the Spaniard and the Brit.

"He's talking about Matthew, dudes. You know...maple guy," Alfred explained and I cocked an eyebrow. "He won't come today, anyway. He had some business. Why did you ask?" the blond asked while sitting on my desk.

"He sat near me," I mumbled. No. No. NO! Did I have to sit near Jack Frost again? I felt like going sick again. My face met the though surface of the desk.

"Is anything wrong?" Gilbert asked worriedly and I turned my head to look at the albino, but without raising and standing properly.

"No. I just can't get rid of this headache," I lied. Well, almost. Aleksander was a headache and it seemed that I couldn't get rid of him. Fate must have been hating me. A lot.

"Eat a hamburger, dude. You'll totally feel better!" and out of nowhere he pulled out a hamburger and started eating. Where did he keep it? I stared at him curiously, but I thought it was better not to know.

"You can't treat a headache with a hamburger, you twit!" Arthur said smacking Alfred, who didn't even seem to have felt it.

"What's the deal with the hamburgers?" I got up and leaned forward towards Gilbert's ear, then I whispered the question.

"He's American," and suddenly everything made sense. Arthur was always arguing with Alfred because of their rivalry. I chuckled and Gilbert smiled back, winking at me at the same time. He knew I got what he meant.

The bell rang and the group scattered. I picked up my stuff and went to sit near the Bulgarian, who didn't even rise his head from his book. Not that I minded, anyway. The teacher entered in the room and the class began. I decided it was time for me to concentrate and I really wanted to do that, but Aleksander stare didn't let me.

"What?" I asked him after a while. I couldn't stand his eyes on me anymore.

"Nothing," he said but he still stared at me.

"Do I have something on my face?" I turned to look at him.

"Yes," Aleksander scratched his cheek.

"On my cheek?" I touched my cheek, but I didn't feel anything wrong.

"No. On your lips..." Aleksander's face was as stern as ever. "It's from what you ate earlier, I guess," he said and my eyes widened.

"How come you know what I ate earlier?" I thought he was lost in his book.

"Oh, well, it's not that easy to concentrate around so many idiots," and with that he turned to face the whiteboard and I didn't say anything as well. It seemed that he had paid attention to me and I wondered why. Well, of course, the others were noisy, but I bet he could have ignored them. How did I know? Just a hunch.

The other classes passed quickly, so did the breaks. Gilbert and the others came to see me each break, always asking if I was ok. They barely knew me, yet they acted like I was someone important to them. Again, I felt loved and accepted. So what if the Bulgarian hated me? It meant nothing and I started thinking I was going to get used to it.

I was heading home when Gilbert asked me if I wanted to go with him and the other, but I refused. I knew I had to go home. He waved at me and disappeared in the forest. I chuckled and went on. The rain had stopped and the air felt fresh. I kind of missed Matthew. I would have been nice to have someone next to you on the way back home.

"Lupei," ok, I immediately take back my words. I prefer going home alone. I looked at the Bulgarian with a corner of my eye.

"What?" indifferent voice, relaxed walking.

"Your key, idiot," he said, but I didn't turn around to demand it back. I just kept on walking. "What? Now you are ignoring me?" I nodded. "Great way to ignore someone while answering their questions. And you asked me why I thought you were an idiot," he kept ranting and I stopped and looked at him.

"Look, Aleksander. I don't care anymore. We can pretend we are friends at home, even best friends if you want, but I don't care about your insults," I said grimacing.

"Oh, you've found another plaything. I get it," he scoffed.

"Gilbert is not a plaything! He's my friend. And unlike a certain person, he is willing to understand me and accept me, even as an idiot!" I snapped and he cocked an eyebrow.

"You certainly don't know anything about him. He fooled you completely!" Aleksander said it in a calm, composed voice, but it seemed forced. I think he was angry. I kept gazing at his green eyes, demanding an explanation.

"And you do? How so? You never speak with anybody. You have no friends. So how do you know? By rumors? Rumors are stupid!" I suddenly felt angry too.

"Oh, you're even defending him! That's so sweet it makes me want to puke. Fine. Stay with him, for all I care. But do not come to me crying and saying that I was right!" and he started walking. I grabbed his hand to turn him around and he tried to shake me off, but I refused to let him go. He tripped dragging me as well, and I fell on top of him. We both let an "ouch!" slip our lips. "Y-you i-idiot!" he stuttered trying to get rid off me, but without even looking me in the eye. I felt provoked so I didn't comply.

"Tell me. What do you know about him?" my voice was serious and calm despite the fact that I fell to the ground.

"I-I c-can't tell," still looking away, still pushing me away, but he had no idea that despite my slim appearance I had almost inhuman strength. "P-please, get off of me," he begged in a whisper. "I'll give you your key..." was he trying to buy me? I chuckled. I thought he was kind of cute, all stuttering and weak suddenly.

"That's not how it works," my lips curled in a grin, a very wild toothy grin. Aleksander looked at me with the corners of his eyes, he was scared of me. I approached my face to his. He wanted to get away again, but he had nowhere to go. "You tell me what you know and I let go of you."

"I don't know anything!" but it was a lie. "Just let me go!"

"If you'll behave nice from now on, maybe," I said in a low, almost husky voice to seem more threatening. I guess it worked because he automatically nodded.

"I will! I will! I mean I take back my threat from this morning. I won't tell anyone anything about you!" he said still pushing me.

"Ok. I guess it's enough for now, Mr. Stuck Up," another toothy grin and I stood up. He got up by himself and cleansed his clothes. I did it as well. He threw the key at me and left. I followed him, suddenly feeling the urge to annoy him. He was fun to tease. Gilbert was a nice guy, so where the others somehow, but the Bulgarian's awkward reactions were just priceless. He deserved to be teased!

* * *

A week has passed since I started going to school. It was a nice tiring week, but I was somehow happy. It was Sunday morning and it didn't rain. The sun entered through the window and I was surprised to discover that I missed the sunlight. It rained the whole week. Of course you wonder about the Bulgarian guy next door. Right. He kept his promise although he still looked down on me. We had a few fights, one of them was about Feliciano Vargas, whom he seemed to dislike a lot. Another one was about wolves. We were in the middle of the History class when Mr. Vargas started talking about Capitoline Wolf and Aleksander mumbled something like 'wolves are so disgusting' and I snapped. I yelled at him angered about how cool wolves are and everyone turned to look at us. Mr. Vargas calmed us down and I thought we were getting punished but actually all he did has smile. We pretended to be best friends at home while playing Scrabble. Our mothers knew nothing.

Today I was going with Gil, Antonio and Francis in the town. We exchanged phone numbers and we decided to meet in the weekend. I got our of my bed and went to the bathroom. We had a spacious bathroom and I enjoyed taking showers in there. After that, I went downstairs where I found my mother speaking at the phone. She made me pancakes for the breakfast and a cup of Earl Grey tea. I sat down at the black table we had in the kitchen and started eating.

"Morning," I said when she entered the room and she greeted me back. "Um...Mom, I was wondering if I could go in the town with some friends today," I asked munching my pancake.

"Friends? Sure. Will Aleksander come as well?" she asked washing some dishes. I stiffened. What should I tell her? Of course the little Bulgarian stuck up guy wouldn't hang around Gilbert and the others. But mom didn't know that.

"No," I said in the end and it was true. She turned to look at me and I stiffened again.

"Well, you should invite him too. I bet he'd be glad," she proposed and sat at the table.

"I don't know if he wants to. How should I put this?" I scratched my chin thoughtfully. My mom waited for me to answer but suddenly I felt my neck going dry. "I don't think he likes my friends..." I tried to look like a worried best friend.

"How so?"

"They are kind of loud. He likes quite people," it wasn't actually a lie. It was true that Aleksander hated noisy people, but that was just because he hated people in general. Sometimes I just think that I should stop pretending, but I can't. To be truly honest I like this game. Long time ago I wanted to become an actor and this situation offers me the chance to act.

The front door opened and I jumped scared. My mom smiled so it seemed that she had expected someone to visit her. Good. It meant that it wasn't the guy next door. I continued to munch on my pancakes, thinking about the meet up with Gil. I hadn't even realise when someone entered in the kitchen, because I thought it should be my mother. But it wasn't. On the chair next to mine sat Aleksander and I almost choked my food.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked, eyes as wide as the dinner plates. He seemed unimpressed, but for a short, very short moment I thought I saw him grinning faintly.

"So you are going in town today I heard," he completely ignored my question. His gaze landed on somewhere in the kitchen, anywhere but not at me. I, on the other hand, stared at him without shame.

"_Da*,"_ but then Aleksander looked at me silently telling me that it wasn't a question. He knew. My mother must have told him.

"What hour?"

"4 pm. Why?"

"Be ready at 3:30," he said and stood up. I followed him and grabbed the hoodie he was wearing to make him turn his face to me, to make him explain. And Aleksander turned to face me with a bored look. "What?"

"You can't be coming," I tried my best to keep my voice calm and low in case my mother was around. "I'm going with Gil and the others," I explained.

"I figured out that much," Aleksander scoffed and I frowned. "That's why I am coming," and he left.

This is so...aghhh! Annoying brat. _Ce mă fac?*_

* * *

**Danke=Thank you**

**Verdammt=Damned**

**Alter=dude**

**Entschuldigung=I'm sorry (as in the case when you bump into someone)**

**Nein= No.**

**Fratello=Brother**

**Nu=No.**

**Da=Yes**

**Ce mă fac?= What am I going to do?**

**That's all for now. :D**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Fiesta**

_"There's never too much beer in a man's life..."_

* * *

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

My bed was nothing but a pile of clothes.

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

My closet looked as if a tornado had knocked it.

**Tap. Tap. Ta-.**

Hang on. Just hang on a minute! I ruffled my hair in exasperation, then my gaze landed on the nightstand, which seemed to be the only place clean in that room. I felt like dropping myself on my knees as in some sort of a prayer, thing you usually see in movies. But I didn't. Outside the weather was all nice and peaceful, even some birds chirped in the forest, but I felt miserable.

I had no idea what to wear. And that made me feel like a woman...

_Drace,* _I am no woman! I frowned. _Just grab the first cloth your hand lands on. _I looked at my phone. It was already 3:14. I had to hurry so my plan would fail. I jumped in the bed and grabbed a pair of skinny crimson jeans, a black tank top and a tartan shirt. I put a hoodie above all this. I went to stare in the mirror. I looked almost perfect, so I put on my hand a silver bracelet with a dragon. I took my keys and my phone and left the room.

The plan was the following:

_"Leave home before 3:30 pm and call a cab, this way the green eyed demon wouldn't catch you and then you can have a great evening with your friends!" _a little voice whispered in my head. And I felt like kissing myself for coming up with such a brilliant plan! Instead I just went downstairs, grabbed my umbrella in a hurry and opened the front door.

Only to have my blood freeze in my veins, my eyes going as big as planets, a drop of cold sweat ran down my temple.

"Going anywhere, Lupei?" Aleksander, the frigid Bulgarian guy who lived next door was leaning his body against the doorjamb as if it were the normal thing to do at you enemy's house. I faked a smile and my hand wanted to close the door right in his face, but his was faster and he caught the door before I could slam it in his face. Damn!

"Get out of my house!" I almost yelled.

"I'm not even inside, idiot," he said completely bored.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Just get out of my sight!" I tried to take the door back but he was still holding it. I was supposed to be more powerful than him, still he seemed to top me. '_That's what happens if you don't eat your vegetables, young boy!' _sounds like something my grandmother would definitely say at a time like this.

"That won't happen. I promised your mother to take good care of you, kiddo," he said and at that time I really felt the urge to strangle the soul out of him.

"We are the same age!" I retorted.

"Well, your mother doesn't seem to notice it and it's no wonder. After all, you are an idiotic, annoying, loud brat," he said and grabbed my arm pulling me outside. In the process I dropped my keys, but he was faster and his long fingers caught them, shoving the little pieces of metal in his pocket. Shit!

"I'm sorry I'm not as perfect as you, **_Balakov_**! I rolled my eyes, but that's when another brilliant plan popped up in my mind. What if I ran away while he was locking the door? I was a fast runner so maybe he wouldn't catch me.

The next second, I was running as if I were chased by the Devil himself. Well, most of it was true. Aleksander was a devil, a big nasty cold one, on top of it. I didn't dare to look back, he didn't even yell at me so I thought he had given up. I continued running, and on my very hasty little chase, I found myself tripping over something, even I don't know what that was, because I didn't see anything. I must have tripped over something that never existed to begin with! Double shit!

"Watch out, you idiot!" a hand gripped my hoodie and pulled me back, only to meet a recently washed fabric. I landed on his chest, on _Aleksander's _chest. Triple shit? "Look, Lupei. I don't like you either. You are loud, careless and an idiot. But I have to watch over your sorry ass and that's it. Please surrender yourself by your own free will, or I'll have to take you by force. It's up to you to decide," he said and I pulled back from his grip, but he didn't let m go.

"I'll choose the third variant," I said playfully. He looked confused. "The variant in which you bugger off," I flashed him a closed eyes kind of smile, waved my hand at him and turned my back to go, only to be stopped again, this time more forcefully. Aleksander sunk his fingers in my shoulders nailing me there. The leaned forward and whispered in my left ear.

"Vladimir Lupei," a pause followed. "I gave you two options earlier, but you refused to choose. Now, we are doing it my way," he approached his lips more to my ear and I started to get nervous. Shit. Shit. Shit! Everything but not my ear. "Your time's out, lad," the last words were low, imposing and I felt a shiver running down my spine. This was no good. And then just like that, he lifted me on his shoulder just like Gil did a week ago. What was wrong with them for they all treated me like a sack full of potatoes?

"Put me down, you sick bastard!"

But he ignored me. Instead he stopped at the bus stop and we took the first bus to arrive. Of course people had stared at us intensely, some girls started giggling but he kept holding me like that, although I complained about it. I heard an old lady saying something like: _Youngsters nowadays. _Aleksander was a complete idiot.

"Is he ok?" a girl asked probably pointing at me, but I couldn't see her for she was behind my back.

"Yes, he is. He happened to trip over something and his leg hurts to the point he can't even walk. It would be harder to try carry him other way so..." he said in an innocent, worried voice and suddenly the urge to strangle him came back. How could he act so sweet in front of some girl he hadn't even met before, but when we first met each other he treated me as if I were his greatest enemy?

"Oh, poor him! You should take him to the hospital!" she said.

"Actually we are visiting my uncle who is a doctor so it's ok. I tried to call him but he won't pick up," what a good actor he was. I growled.

"Are you ok?" I could feel the Bulgarian stiffen under me. I grinned. _What should I do? Should I pretend or should I tell her it was a all lie? _

"I-I'm fine," my voice was low, a little scared, pained. I decided to play his game. My love for acting was too great to let that chance slip, anyway. "It hurts only a little..." I panted only to add some drama.

"Maybe you should put him down.." she suggested and I mentally grinned. Oh, she was falling for it _and _maybe I could escape.

"I don't think it would be a good idea," Aleksander's voice wasn't confident anymore. Maybe the girl had no idea about that, but I could feel it and it made me pleased to see him troubled. **By me. **"Vlad, just hang on a little. We will arrive soon," he said trying to seem worried, but I knew what he actually meant: _Don't you dare to ruin my story, idiot, or I'm going to make you regret. CAN'T YOU SEE I'M FLIRTING? _I would have grinned but there was something else that caught my attention. Did he call me Vlad? Not Vladimir, not even Lupei. But Vlad. He had to pretend we were close friends, huh? What a flirt. I puffed giving up teasing him. How ungraceful! Doing all this to impress a _girl. _

"Yeah, you are right, Aleks," I said in a sweet approving voice, but the double meaning was: _Bugger off, you are annoying. _I bet on my fangs he got it because his lean body tensed, his grip became stronger.

After all we left the bus and I could see the girl for the first time. She had long brown hair that is somewhat wavy at the ends and green eyes. Then the bus doors closed and the vehicle left with the girl as well. I didn't say anything. It pissed me off, his attitude, so much that I became ridiculously calm. For my surprise, Aleksander put me down.

"Are you ok?" his voice seemed plain, but not glacial. I didn't bother to look at him, instead I nodded and turned my back and left. "You know, I know you're lying..." I shrugged. My body turned automatically to face him.

"Bugger off, Balakov. I'm sick of your games," those words, I felt them from deep inside my soul. Aleksander's emerald pools widened in surprise, but I ignored it, called it 'acting', and left. He didn't even follow me. Tch.

* * *

**BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**

Oh, that had to be my cellphone, which rang frantically in my pocket. I stopped and shoved my hand in left pocket to fish my phone out of there. My fingers wrapped around the slim, lustrous object and I looked at the screen.

**GIL.**

A photo with his bird on his head was shown on the background. My lips automatically curled in a small smile.

"Yes?" I said as I picked up.

_"Um, hey. Where are you, frate*?"_ I chuckled at hearing the last word. I taught him it, but his pronunciation was so funny and so far from the real thing.

"I just got in the town 10 minutes ago, but I don't know how to reach Pub&Go,"

_"Oh. It's ok. Stay where you are. Don't even dare to move a finger," _and he hung up. I starred confused at the little object I had in my hand. What was Gil planning to do? But I had no time to even lift a finger, for he was behind my back, gripping my shoulders gently. "Heh, you were pretty close and this hair of yours makes you stand," his grin was wide, but nothing like feral. Gil wrapped his fingers around my hand and dragged me across the street, between the traffic.

We stopped in front of a two floored beige building which had "Pub&Go" written above a black door with ochre, hand-written letters. It had large windows but I couldn't peek inside.

"Like it, _Junge?* _he asked in a pretty satisfied tone which meant he knew my answer already. I chuckled softly and nodded. "Then let's get going," and we entered the building. Inside the air was unbreathable, thick smoke blurred my vision. The lights were weak and it seemed crowded. Was I in hell, by any chance?I involuntary coughed. "Not used to the smoke, eh?" Gilbert said in an amused tone and I shook my head in disapproval. "You'll get used to it, eventually."

"Oh, mon ami, what do we have here?" Francis flashed me a smile and I waved my hand at him. He was staying at a table in a corner with Antonio. To be honest I was kind of surprised to see him wearing a blue shirt with two buttons unbuttoned and a black tie. What could I say? Somehow it really fit him.

_"Hola, mi amigo!_" Antonio was smiling cheerfully at me, waving his hand enthusiastic. He was wearing a white blouse and an unbuttoned black vest.

"Hiya!" I sat down at the table.

Those three were inseparable and everybody knew it. Gilbert, Francis and Antonio were known as the Bad Touch Trio or Bad Friends Trio. When I asked a few persons about it, they pretended not hear me. So I gave up, apparently, but my curiosity was not something one could just turn off, you know. As far as I got it, Gilbert loved rock and he was crazy, narcissist and creative. Francis was charming, passionate about fashion and as far as I heard a good chef. Antonio was cheerful, loved food and old weapons. But what was the thing that brought them together? Was it their strange behavior or something else?

"So, Vlad, what desires your heart? A drink maybe?" Francis smirked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah, I guess so." It didn't seem to be a bad idea. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

_**3 beers later**_

"How about we play," a long pause followed," _a game?" _Gilbert grinned widly, playing absently with his glass of beer. _**  
**_

_"Oui, mon chéri,_ that would be_ magnifique!* _Francis clapped his hands.

"_S¡, s¡!_ We should play _**that **_game!"* that caught my curiosity.

"What game?" and they all turned their gazes at me smirking devilishly.

"Truth or dare," they said at the same time.

"_Da! Da!_ I'm in!"* I shouted raising my fist in the air.

"_Gut_, then, I'll ask first. Francis, truth or dare?" Gil turned his body to face the French.

"Onhohonhonhon," he laughed. "Dare, _bien sûr_!* Was there a time I chose something else?"

"I was making myself sure. I wouldn't want to hear you whining about me being insensible," the other retorted playfully.

"That's just mean, Gilbert."

_"Ja, ja. Ich weiß.* _I dare you to drink beer!" then I realised that Francis was having wine. I remember asking myself: _how did he got that? Wasn't alcohol forbidden for underage like us? _But I was too happy to think about it that time. The French frowned in disgust.

"Fine!" he took my beer and drank from it. "Happy now?" Gilbert smirked. "Uhhh..tastes awful!" We all laughed at his pained face. "Laugh all you want, but that's my opinion anyway."

"Antonio! Is your turn!" the albino pointed at him smirking in a strange way.

"Dare, _mi amigo_! Test me!" his face was all flushed and I wondered if it was because of the alcohol he had or because of something else.

"Lick your elbow," I burst into laughing. Antonio threw him a strange gaze and stuck his tongue out. I watched curiously. Could he really do it? And he did it. "In your face, beer lover!" he said.

"Yeah, you got me with this one. Who would have thought you had such a long tongue anyway?" another set of laughter was unleashed.

"And now, it's your turn, Romanian dude," Gilbert's long finger pointed at me and I felt my heart beating faster in enthusiasm.

"Truth," I wasn't too drunk to be stupidly brave.

"You're lying, right?" he frowned.

"No. Why would I?"

"You can't be serious. I know we call this came truth or dare, but it's only dare," he explained rising his beer in the air to seem more dramatic.

"Leave the lad alone, Gil, you were like that too, two years ago," a British accent, loud firm steps. A rather pale hand slamming on the table. I looked up and met a pair of green eyes roofed by black bushy eyebrows. Arthur Kirkland! He dragged a chair and sat down at our table. But what surprised me the most was that he had piercings, a black T-shirt with a white skull, black skinny jeans and a tartan red shawl. His nails were painted with black polish. Can you believe? The student council president was all of the above and certainly, much more than that.

"Shut up, Arthur. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I had no business at home and I thought to check up this place," he explained. "Truth or dare, huh? Or should I say Dare or Die Alone?" he puffed. "I'm joining," Arthur announced.

"Fine. But you'll have to wait. Vlad just chose truth and I have no idea what to ask him," the albino said a bit disappointed.

"Just go for the usual. Love and relationship things always work at times like this," the Brit proposed and I saw Gilbert's face lighting up suddenly as if he saw a treasure, no less.

_"Danke, Alter!_ he turned to look at me. "So, Vlad, I heard that you are still single. Is that true?" I felt my face warming.

"Yeah...kinda," I sipped my beer, not daring to look at them. I was a bit embarrassed. They were probably dating someone, but I was still a loner. Lame, huh?

"Fret not, lad, you'll find someone pretty quick with that cute face of yours," Arthur said, lime-green eyes staring at me intensely, a small smile playing on his lips. I nodded. Was he honest? "Don't waste your time asking, git, I choose dare. Come at me with all you have," Gilbert seemed to enjoy the Brit's behavior or at least that was what I had thought at that moment.

_"I dare you..."_

* * *

**6 beers and a bottle of wine later**

"And you know..." the Brit said while he rested his head on the table, his right hand on the empty bottle, "he said he totally hated me and left," he continued facing the table. I had no idea what he was talking about, he refused to give names, but he seemed very upset. "I don't know what to bloody do anymore! He's such an asshat!" he whined and I felt bad for him, my hand involuntary patted his back.

"It'll be ok," I said although I had no idea if it was true or not. But he seemed to calm down a little as he smiled faintly at me, murmuring a 'maybe'.

"Call Alfred. He's drunk again," said Francis and Gilbert nodded. "It seems that they had a fight again. Really, this two morons don't do anything but argue. It's time they accept their...you know and get over it already," I had the impression that even more than half drunk they still had some secrets they wanted to keep away from me. I got curious again, but said nothing.

"Alfred? Ummm...this the awesome me, Gilbert," the albino said. "Well, I called because, you know, Arthur got drunk," a pause followed. "Yeah, again. I know. I know," another one, but shorter. "I know. Look, Alfred, I wouldn't be calling, but he is really upset about something and I think you know why," his face became serious. Yet another pause. "So you're coming?" he seemed relieved. "Great. We are at Pub&Go," and he hung up. "Done. He's coming to pick him up," he announced.

"Alfred?" the Brit raised his head. "You must be kidding, right? I don't want to see his stupid face anymore. I'm going home!" he stood up, but he had poor balance. Antonio caught him.

"Stay calm, Arthur. No Alfred will come near you," I frowned.

"You promise, git?"

"Si," and the blonde sat down.

Silence fell upon us. I started to feel sad too and suddenly my throat craved for more beer. I reached Gil's and took it without even asking. He didn't seem to mind, however.

"Yo, dudes!" a loud voice said after ten or more minutes. "Geez, I can't believe he actually fell asleep," Alfred said pointing at the sleeping Briton. The Trio shrugged.

"You know, you should do something about him. I know he is annoying, but he's not a bad person," Francis said in a serious tone.

"Hmm? Oh, I guess he went all crazy complaining about me again, huh? He must be hating me with such a strong passion," he said the last sentence in a whisper, and I don't think the others heard. He lifted the Brit and left.

"You know, I think it's time we go home," Gilbert proposed and I nodded. So did the others. "Bushy-brows ruined it all. So..._Tschüss!*_

"_Au revoir!*_

_"Adiós!"*_

_"Pa!"*_

And we parted.

* * *

I said that we would go home, but frankly speaking I have no desire to do so, nor _**can**_ I do it. And I feel like my head is going to explode any second. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to drink so much, but to be honest, I was so irritated and frustrated because of that damned neighbour of mine. So I just stood outside in front of the pub, waiting for who knows what to happen. It wasn't like I could think clear, anyway.

"You look awful. Worse than you do on your best day," my eyes turned automatically to look at him. Could that day go worse? I turned my back at him, deciding to ignore the idiot. "Tch. You are even more annoying when drunk, you know?" he scoffed.

"I dun' care. You are annoying all the time too, don't think that I'm pleased to see your stuck up face, because I'm not. Now, scatter," I said walking away slowly because my vision was bad and my legs refused to listen to me. He puffed and put his hands on my shoulder then turned me around, sighing. "Anyway, how did you find me? Were you spying on me? Stalker!"

"It's not hard to figure out where could the Trio go. Now, behave and let me carry you."

"No way! You are gonna drop me! I know you want to do it!"

"What makes you be so sure?"

"Well, duuh. You hate me, don't you?" I said shrugging, while I played a little nonchalant grin on my lips. Actually I felt a bit bitter inside. "And..." I paused finding it hard for me to talk, "don't try to deny it. It would be useless, 'cuz I won't believe you anyway," I was getting dizzier. "But..." I sighed, "that's ok. I hate you too and I will always will. It's a promise. Pinky swear?" I showed him my pinky. He sighed turning his back at me and for a second I had thought he was going to leave me there and my hand involuntary grabbed his cloth.

"I wasn't going anywhere, you know. I just wanted you to jump on my back so I could carry you home. Unfortunately I have no money left to take the bus," he said and I felt like punching myself. What was I doing?

"It's not like I care anyway," yes, deny it all. Denial is the best way to solve an embarrassing problem. I jumped on his back and he started walking. I wondered if I was heavy, but I didn't ask him. I wouldn't want him to think that I actually could care about him. I promised to hate him, right?

* * *

**Drace= Devil (but here's used like: Damn it! or Heck!)**

**Frate=Brother (used like: bro, dude.)**

**Junge=Lad**

**Hola! Mi amigo!= Hey! My friend.**

**Oui, mon chéri=Yes, my dear.**

**Magnifique=Wonderful**

**Si=Yes**

**Da=Yes**

**Ja, ja. Ich weiß. =Yes, yes. I know.**

**Tschüss!= Goodbye!**

**Au revoir= Goodbye!**

**Adiós!=Goodbye!**

**Pa!=Bye!**

**Oh, I guess that's it for now. Don't forget, review if you liked it or tell me if I did some mistakes (as you may have guessed English is not my mother tongue and I am still learning it). **

**Have a nice day,**

**R.E.**


End file.
